San Diego Comic-Con is undoubtedly the chief destination for nerds and pop culture fiends the world over, but the spectacle and the crowds can also scare people off. Add to that the limited number of badges that are issued and the quickness with which they are snapped up and, despite the appeal of seeing what feels like the entire comic, film, game, toy, and TV industry gathered under one roof, SDCC can sometimes feel exclusionary. This year, however, things are going to be a little bit different, though we're not sure if they're going to be better.
Comic-Con International has announced that they are discontinuing the use of four day badges for the San Diego Comic-Con, releasing only single day passes for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Preview Night badges (Wednesday) will be available for purchase to those who purchase one of the single day badges.
So, why the change? Here's a snippet from the Comic-Con International blog.
The decision to move from a 4-Day badge option to single day badge options was to give each attendee more flexibility when purchasing. Since we no longer offer a discount for purchasing all four days, the 4-Day option was repetitive and often lead to people purchasing a 4-Day badge despite not needing to attend every day. We hope this change will allow attendees to purchase only the days they truly need and maximize the number of people who can get a badge to attend Comic-Con.
From their perspective, it's easy to see why CCI would want to bring more people into the event and it'll surely give business owners in the area an even larger influx of cash and a bit of reassurance following the recent approval of the $520 million dollar expansion of the convention center and the Hilton Bayfront Hotel.
For those who were already put off by the size of San Diego Comic-Con, though, this may not sound like good news. Traditionally, it seems like the Con's biggest days (in terms of programming) are usually Friday and Saturday, with Thursday and Sunday standing out as an oasis that allows fans to more comfortably walk the floor, see the sights, and not worry as much about waiting in line for half the day in the hopes of seeing the biggest panels.
With this plan now in place, perhaps that oasis will turn into a mirage.
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San Diego Comic-Con 2014 will take place between July 24-27